Closer Than Your Shadow

Pulp Fiction

December 4th 8:37 p.m.
Gotham
My apartment

I've never heard of the Viper Room. It was new and unexplored and that scared me.

I was telling myself I was overreacting but I still smoked 4 joints and drank the rest of the wine in my fridge.

I was curling my hair with a flat iron when Robin knocked on my living rooms fire escape. The dog went fucking crazy, so I pushed him into my room with a treat while Robin let himself in. I turned from my door and he had his arms crossed.

"You got a dog?" The lamp was still on so I could actually see his suit. There was a familiarity about him that I hadn't seen before. I had to do a double take when I saw the box in his arms. He shook his head and hit something on his hip. My lamp blinked off.

Did he just turn off my fucking electricity?

"He's a stray. It's a long story. I went to the cove last night and he found me instead," I adjusted the towel wrapped around my body.

"You went to the cove at 2 in the morning by yourself?"

"You don't have to worry, I survived. Obviously."

"That's not the point. It's dangerous down there."

"I used to live out there. I get it."

I scowled as he shifted his weight.

"What did you bring with you? Is the wire in that big ass box?"

"It records, audio and video." He put the box out for me to take. I stared at him, trying to figure out his angle. "Take it."

"Fine but how is this going to fit me?" I shook it around. It was soft.

"Just go put it on." He shifted again

I took the box from him and lifted the lid.

Inside something was folded up. I looked at his dark face and for the first time I thought I could envision what he looked like under the mask. In that moment another little part of me knew I was missing a piece of the picture. "You got me a dress?"

"It's to go with the-."

"The wire," I finished for him. I pulled the dress out of the box.

"It's not exactly a wire. If you need help just ask. This was easiest for both of us. Peace of mind for me," he said. I knit my brows, but I went to the bathroom and fingered through the rest of the white wrapping paper. A small box laid at the bottom.

A contact case sat inside. I undid the caps and they glinted in the light. I could see the blue wires running through.

This couldn't be real.

I had no idea how to turn them on or if they were already on.

I put my finger in the container and the contact melded to my skin. I put it in my eye and a tear ran down my cheek. I blinked, but nothing was different. It was still crystal clear.

I put the dress on, and the fabric was thicker than I expected. The neckline was square. And it went down to my mid-thigh.

Conservative but classy.

I reached up to grab the zipper, but my fingers were barely an inch too short to pull it all the way up. The straps fell off my shoulders and I struggled to adjust.

"I might need your help, but it's not with the 'wire'," I stepped into the dark hallway holding the fabric to my body. I heard a small shuffle when I turned the corner. He was already staring and his undivided attention spread goosebumps over my arms. It took all of me not to run to the lamp and turn the lights back on.